Dear friends,
It is hard to put the experiences from the past few weeks into words, so I’ll use my go-to method of story-telling: Food!
Those who’ve known me for a while won’t be surprised to know that food means more to me than simply nourishment for the body. For me, food is love and sharing a meal with others feeds my soul! A meal shared with loved ones at home is special, and when it’s shared between people coming together in a land far away, it’s magical!
I’ve yearned for the opportunity to travel and savor this type of experience again, and after much anticipation, just a few weeks ago, the magic began! I grabbed my bags and passport and flew to Marrakech, Morocco, where I led a small group through the myriad of sites, smells, and spices of the souks. We stayed in the beautiful retreat in the Palmerie District, where we created pastillas, couscous, and tagines outdoors and enjoyed our feasts surrounded by the lovely gardens of Jnane Tamsna. We ventured toward the sea to a lovely vineyard which seemed to appear like an oasis among the argan trees. We enjoyed an incredible feast at a beautiful private home overlooking the hillside, and danced with musicians playing traditional gnawa instruments. Every one of your senses is truly felt Morocco, and next time, I hope you will join me there!
Next, I hopped a flight to Italy, where I would meet another group of culinary travelers on the Island of Sicily! Within minutes of arriving at our villa, cocktails were flowing, and my guests and I became fast-friends while taking in our 360 degree views of Mt. Etna and the Sea! Throughout our week together, we cooked and dined on sumptuous Sicilian dishes, explored some of my favorite spots in the region, hiked along the volcano and sampled some outrageously good wine at Benanti Vineyards. Of all the dishes we made together, everyone went gaga over the Braciole with Pecorino, Pine Nuts and Raisins--especially how it paired so beautifully with the wonderful nero d’avola and nerello mascalese wines that I had tucked away in my little wine cellar stash at the villa a few years ago.
Then, it was off to meet my next group, who would join me for an adventure along the Amalfi Coast! It didn’t take long for us to join arm-in-arm as we sipped our way through the lemon orchard and enjoyed a class and how to make your own limoncello, and a limoncello tasting at La Limonaia. When our private boat arrived to take us to the island of Capri, our smiles could not have been brighter! We cooked some incredible meals together, yet I think that the gnocchi alla Sorrentina we made was the highlight for everyone.
By the time you are reading this, I’ll have started my next Culinary Tour in Tuscany! I can’t wait to spend another week with a new group who will soon feel like family. It’s true what they say, that “distance can make your heart grow fonder”. Maybe I just interpret these words in a slightly different way.
Be well, and cook together!
XO
PS Open up your favorite bottle of vino, and give these Italian favorites a try:
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